Pieter Zeeman

Dutch physicist

Born: May 25, 1865 · Died: October 9, 1943

Famous Persons

Who was Pieter Zeeman?

Pieter Zeeman (25 May 1865 – 9 October 1943) was a Dutch experimental physicist who shared the 1902 Nobel Prize in Physics with Hendrik Lorentz for their discovery and theoretical explanation of the Zeeman effect. Pieter Zeeman was born in Zonnemaire, Netherlands, the son of Wilhelmina (née Worst) and Catharinus Forandinus Zeeman, a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church. In 1883, the aurora borealis happened to be visible in the Netherlands; Zeeman, then a student at the high school in Zierikzee, made a drawing and description of the phenomenon and submitted it to Nature, where it was published. The editor praised "the careful observations of Professor Zeeman from his observatory in Zonnemaire." After finishing high school in 1883, Zeeman went to Delft for supplementary education in classical languages, then a requirement for admission to university.

Portrait of Pieter Zeeman by Jan Veth, 1925.

Historical significance

He stayed at the home of Dr. J. W. Lely, co-principal of the gymnasium and brother of Cornelis Lely, who was responsible for the concept and realization of the Zuiderzee Works. Zeeman became interested in physics at an early age.

Albert Einstein visiting Pieter Zeeman (left) in Amsterdam, accompanied by Paul Ehrenfest (circa 1920).

Sources and further reading

Use the dated article for the day-specific account; use these references to check the event record and explore its wider historical context.

Wikipedia source

Cite this page

MLA

“Pieter Zeeman.” thisDay, thisday.info/people/pieter-zeeman/. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

APA

Pieter Zeeman. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 9, 2026, from https://thisday.info/people/pieter-zeeman/

Chicago

“Pieter Zeeman.” thisDay. Accessed October 9, 2026. https://thisday.info/people/pieter-zeeman/.

Found an error? Let us know.